A Dangerous Liaison
by diablosflame
Summary: Kanzaki Reito hires private investigator Kuga Natsuki to monitor his fiance, Fujino Shizuru, on suspicion that she is cheating on him. What she finds is a case that goes deeper than she imagined and that may be more than she can handle. But when those gorgeous eyes are on her will she be able to resist their siren song? Or will she get pulled deeper down the rabbit hole? NOT futa.
1. Chapter 1

The room is sweltering though the temperature outside is just above freezing. It's dark, the only light in the room streaming in through the window from the neon sign out towards the street that reads 'Hotel' and right below it 'Vacancies'. There's the soft sound of jazz music coming from a cellphone lying on the nightstand next to the lamp as dark as a shadow. I exhale a cloud of smoke and lay my head back on the headrest, the air is cloudy with cigarette smoke but all I can smell is her.

She is laying beside me with one arm wrapped around my body and the other resting on my thigh, I can feel her brown hair on my skin and it feels like silk. Perfect. My arm is wrapped around her, holding on to her shoulder as if to anchor her to me, her tanned skin is soft and warm beneath my touch. The thin sheet clings to our naked bodies, slick with sweat from our recent exertions. Her eyes are closed and her breathing is even. She's asleep. _Just stay that way, baby. Don't open those beautiful eyes of yours._

I breathe in more of the poison and exhale it out, my nerves calm and my head clears. She shifts next to me, a soft moan escapes her lips and I long to hear that sound for the rest of my life. _If things go south, I might just get that wish. It could be the last sound I ever hear. _

*Ring Ring, *Ring Ring.

My phone rings from the nightstand and the message is sent. _They're here._ Slowly, reluctantly, I seperate myself from her arms. As soon as we're seperated I feel the cold air on my bare skin and shiver from it. I lift from the bed, making sure to rest her head on a pillow before I begin to search for my clothes. I find them scattered across the room, my bra and panties lying next to the bed, my pants laying across the foot of the bed, my shirt thrown haphazardly on the floor and my jacket resting on the back of the chair.

I put on my clothes and pull my jacket on, feeling the weight of the Colt .45 at my back. I head for the nightstand and slide my phone into my pocket. I look over to her, still asleep on the bed, an angel. I sit down next to her and run my hand through her hair. I lean over and kiss her on the forehead. _If I don't make it, I want you to know that I love you._

After a moment of silence I stand from the bed and take a deep breath. The rhythmic thumping of footsteps sounds down the hall through the paper thin walls and I know that time is up. _Time to face the music._

With one last look back at her I close the door, lock it with the key card then hit it with the butt of my gun hard enough to jam it. I jog down to the corner with some stairs in front of me and wait. I'm not waiting long before five armed men walk around the corner and towards the room where she is staying. I'm nearly shaking as they near the room that she is now lying in and let out a breath as they pass it in favor of the door next to it. I silently thank the boy at the counter for giving them the bad info and wait for the right moment.

One of the men looks my way and the time is right. I make sure he sees me and make a break for the stairs. I can hear him shout "There she is" from around the corner as I sprint up the stairs as fast as my legs will take me. I can hear their heavy footsteps and ragged breathing from behind and below me. The chase is on.

I climb two floors. They haven't gained on me, in fact I think they're falling behind, but the farther up I go the less options I have. _The roof. I have to make it to the roof._ I hear a gunshot and instinctively lower my head. A bullet passes dangerously close by me and strikes the wall in front of me. I charge through the pieces of drywall that fly off of it and hit the stairs up to the next floor.

They're getting closer now as I near the final stairs up to the roof. I climb the stairs and hit the door at a full run, only stopping when I'm near the edge of the roof. The wall around us is five feet high but the silhouette of large buldings dominate the view above it. I turn around and wait for the door to open. When it does, five large men file out of it and stand before me, assault rifles in their hands and grins on their faces. "Looks like you're out of plays, cowboy."

In one swift, practiced move I draw the .45 from my back and thumb off the safety. "Then it's time for a hail mary." I fire a shot that sails passed the gunmen and strikes the pile of propane tanks I had placed near the door in anticipation of this moment. The explosion sends out a shock wave of red hot pain. The men are thrown forward, their backs burned and bloody. A few are even missing limbs. The shockwave knocks me backwards, sending me straight into the wall with a thud. The impact takes the wind out of me and I can hear the crunch of my ribs breaking as I settle down to the ground.

When the dust settles I am the only one left standing, or sitting as is the case. The men are all lying face down in different states of dying or death. My world is pain and I can feel blood on my face and down most of my body. I relax, knowing that it's over. Someone will have heard that explosion and the police will be called. They'll link this to that bastard and bring him down.

I close my eyes and the pain starts to drift away as I pass out. _I'm sorry it had to end like this, but I love you Shizuru._

Monday August 5, 2013

7:45 AM

Kuga Natsuki:

I'm sitting in my office trying my best to beat this damned game I've been playing for the last week when I hear the buzz of the intercom on my desk. I put my phone down and hit the button on the ancient machine. The button unlocks the door to my office. When it opens, a dark-haired man wearing an impeccable suit and carrying a briefcase smiles to me as he walks across the room. He's handsome, if I was into that kind of thing. I stand to shake his hand and notice that it is firm and dry, not clammy. "Ms. Kuga Natsuki, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kanzaki Reito, we spoke on the phone."

So this is the famed Kanzaki Reito, heir to the very wealthy Kanzaki Pharmaceutical company. I was surprised when I found myself talking to the man and had at first dismissed it as a prank of hoax. To see him in the flesh now is no less than startling. "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Kanzaki."

"Please, call me Reito."

He flashes me a smile that I'm sure had charmed the pants off every woman he had ever met but that only serves to annoy me. I have no interest in him. "Have a seat, Mr. Kanzaki." Upon hearing my businesslike tone, Reito drops his smile and sits down on the other side of the desk. "Now, what can I do for you?"

Reito takes his briefcase into his lap and opens it. He takes out an unlabeled manilla envelope and slides it across the desk to me. I take the envelope, open it and slide it's contents out into my hand. What I find are several photos of a gorgeous brunette woman I don't recognize. "This is my fiancé, Fujino Shizuru." _Fujino? Why does that name ring a bell?_ "She is heiress to the Fujino Corporation." _Of course, that's where I've heard that name._ The Fujino Corporation were well known across Japan as a powerful media conglomerate owning many radio and television stations across the country.

"She's beautiful, but what do you need from me?"

Reito closes the briefcase and sets it down on the floor beside him. "I have reason to suspect that my darling Shizuru is cheating on me." _Of course, why else would you be here talking to me._ "I'm very disturbed by this but I must know the truth."

"Of course. Say no more." I have worked with enough clients to know that people prefer their shame close to the chest. Asking for more would be asking for trouble. "I will be perfectly discreet."

"Excellent. I knew you were the right person for the job." Reito stands and I follow suit. We shake hands and Reito turns around preparing to leave. "How long do you think it will take?"

"It shouldn't take too long. Barring any unforeseen complications I should have an answer for you before the week is out."

"Thank you, Ms. Kuga."

I follow him to the door and see him out. After he walks away I return to my desk, get on my computer and start to work. In a matter of minutes I have a Facebook account, credit card numbers, a license plate and VIN number and an address. All I need. I spend a long time looking through her pictures, most of them of her. She looks amazing; long brown, naturally wavy hair, full lips, a great rack, thin waist and a gorgeous pair of burgundy eyes. I feel a familiar tightening in my chest and a heat in my thighs. She is so beautiful. I shake it off. _Time to get to work._

After getting directions to the address I set out in my sky blue Mistubishi to begin my stake out. My office is in a run-down bulding downtown surrounded by other run down buildings in a pocket of the city commonly called a slum but that I call home. It's where I've lived all my life so when the directions lead me out of the city and towards the suburbs I immediately feel out of my element.

Open spaces full of green grasses and lush trees greet my eyes that are used to the gloom and grey of the inner city like the first sights of a blind woman. I'm blinded by the opulence of the houses around me, the manicured lawns, the immaculate driveways, the brand new cars with their brilliant jobs. It reminds me of how little I have waiting for me at home.

I turn onto the road that the house is on and park directly across from it. The house is just as beautiful as those around it; a two story brick house with a gleaming metal roof and a two car garage. Only one car sat in the driveway, a cream colored Jaguar S-Type that I immediately drooled over. It matches the license plate and VIN number I have for her. I reason that she hasn't left the house yet so I find an inconspicuous place to park in sight of the house and set up for a long stake out.

It's nearly eleven o'clock before I see movement. A black car drives up to the house and stops at the curb. The car honks twice and almost immediately after the front door opens and Ms. Fujino exits, locks the door behind her and makes her way to the car. Something about the way she is moving sets me on edge, her eyes are scanning to see if anyone is watching. Suspicious. She gets in the car and it pulls away, but not before I take down the license plate number.

Using my phone I access a police database and run the license plates for a match. Minutes later the results come up, the car is registered to a Ms. Chrysant out of Okinawa. It seems less likely that Ms. Fujino is cheating but Okinawa is a long way to drive for a simple chat and something about the way she was carrying herself sets off red flags in my head. Something is going on here, and now I'm curious.

I wait until the car is down the road before starting my car and following after it down the road. The car turns onto the highway and picks up speed heading downtown. I follow after it, keeping a good distance between us but making sure to keep the car in my sight. As the buildings of downtown loom over us the car takes an exit that will take it to the outskirts before it finally stops at a small restaurant.

The car pulls in and parks. I follow, making sure to park well away from the other car and wait for them to get out and head inside. There are three of them, Ms. Fujino, a mousy looking woman with brown hair and glasses and a tall blonde haired woman who seems American. They walk into the restaurant together and take a seat near the windows.

I wait for five minutes then get casually out of my car and head to the restaurant. Inside I'm shown to a seat by a moderately attractive hostess and as I walk passed their table I notice her eyes drift up to me. As soon as out eyes meet time stops. _Did she make me? Did she notice me following them?_ No, this is different. I remember thinking that she was beautiful in pictures but seeing her in the flesh was something completely different. She was stunning. Looking into those burgundy eyes made me feel ten years younger. Something about the way that she looked in that blouse made me salivate. A wave of nervousness hit me and, only with great force of will, I gave her a weak smile then looked down to the floor as I walked passed. Her eyes lingered on me for mere seconds but I felt each deeper than the last until finally she turned back to the other women at the table and I sat down to catch my breath.

"A waiter will take your order."

I nod and the hostess walks away. After she's out of sight I lower my head to the table and stop my heart from beating so fast. I breathe deep and calm my nerves, taking a cigarette out of my pocket and lighting it. The calm starts to bleed into my nerves and I relax and focus my attention on the table ahead. I can hear them talking clearly from my table, the blonde and the two brunettes. It seems that the three of them are old high-school friends. _No danger there._

"Can I take your order?"

A pasty faced young man with a few hairs on his face that will one day be a mustache is standing at my table waiting on me. I order a cup of coffee and a bowl of noodles and wave him away, he is standing between me and my quarry.

"How are you and Reito doing?" The blonde one asks Ms. Fujino.

She sighs. "As well as always."

The blonde one pats her on the back. "Had any interesting flings?"

My ears perk up at this. _There's no possible way it will be this easy._ Ms. Fujino smirks at the blond. "Just you, Haruka, if you'll have me." _I guess not._ It's hard to tell because the one called Haruka's face is turned away from me but I think she is blushing. "Perhaps Yukino can join in?"

She looks at the mousy brunette who immediately turns red as a beet. "W-w-what...?"

"Calm down, Yukino, it's a joke." Ms. Fujino reassured the one named Yukino.

"I-I knew that." Yukino replies.

The three women laugh as the waiter returns and sets a steaming cup of coffee in front of me. The smell is delicious and I savor it before gently setting the cup to my lips and taking a sip. I don't know what I was expecting but the coffee is actually decent. The boy scampers off and leaves me alone for which I am eternally grateful.

I look up from my coffee cup and catch a flash of burgundy. _Is she watching me?_ Her eyes quickly avert but I can still feel her lingering gaze on me, a heat that I can't explain. The women return to their conversation and I listen off handedly. It's mostly chit chat, small talk about what they've been doing since they last saw each other. Just old friends, catching up. _Definitely no danger here. _

My food arrives and I eat it slowly as I pay attention to the other table. They are eating their meals and the conversation is still light so I return my attention to my bowl of noodles. I catch another flash of burgundy and look up again. This time just a pass of her eyes but I can tell that she's watching me. _Maybe I should back off for today._

I take that as my cue to leave. I quickly finish the bowl of noodles and suck down the last drop of coffee then stand preparing to leave. I take out my wallet and drop the appropriate amount of money on the table, with a solid tip for the waiter, then walk away. As I pass the table with the three women a smell reaches it's way up to my nostrils and I know instantly that it's her. The light smell of lavender hits me with the force of a punch and I'm reeling from it as I walk away, eyes straight ahead so as not to meet her gaze. Only when I'm outside the restaurant do I exhale, still reeling from the force of her presence. _Why does she affect me so much? I need a drink._ And there's only one place I go when I need a drink.

It's well into the evening by the time I get home, shower, change out of my work clothes then head to The Blue, my favorite little jazz club just down the street from my apartment. I walk in through the familiar double doors and smell the familiar scent of cigarette smoke and cheap whiskey and I feel immediately at ease. I stride up to the counter and sit down. The woman behind the counter looks up, recognizes me and smiles. "Hey, Natsuki. I was wondering if you were going to come in today."

"Hey, Mai."

I like Mai in a platonic, friendly kind of way. It's hard for someone in my business to make friends and I count very few among them. Mai is one of the only ones. She saunters over to stand in front of me, ample breasts protruding from her blouse. "What can I get for you? The usual?"

"Scotch on the rocks."

"Coming right up." Mai turned and mixed my drink. When she was done she slid it to me and I took a sip that made me wince. She gave me the good stuff this time. I take another drink and when I set the glass down Mai is looking at me with a big smile on her face. "So, you seem different today."

I must look confused because I am. "What do you mean?"

"I can't really explain it. You just seem lighter somehow. So, did you meet someone?"

"Not really. I got a new job today."

"No, that's not it." Mai looks me over carefully. "It's something else, like a glow." Mai seems to let it go and starts cutting more likes on a cutting board behind the counter. "So, tell me about this new job. Anything interesting?"

I explain to her about Kanzaki Reito, how we had been talking over the phone, how he showed up at the office earlier, how he had asked me to spy on his gorgeous wife. Then I explain to her about Fujino Shizuru, the caution she used when leaving the house, the way our eyes just seemed to find each other and of course I explain to her how stunning she is.

"Kanzaki? Like the Kanzaki Corporation, that big pharmaceutical company?"

"Yes. I didn't know you followed business news."

"There was a big story on tonight's news about the company. Apparently the CEO has passed away leaving his oldest son to run the company. I don't remember his name, but I do remember that they mentioned the stock prices were at their lowest point in years."

"Interesting." _I hadn't known that I was speaking to a CEO earlier today. No matter, a job is a job. _"So anyway, when we were in the diner she kept looking in my direction so I bailed. I'll have to pick it up tomorrow."

"She kept looking at you? How? Like this...?" Mai bats her eyelashes at me in a deductive manner. "Or like this...?" Mai raised an eyebrow in my direction.

"No, she just kept looking at me."

"Maybe you should make a move on her. His scandalous would that be? Man hires PI to check on his wife and she ends up cheating on him with the PI."

"Fiancé, they're not married."

"Still juicy." I hear the doors open and few well dressed gentlemen and a couple of ladies walk in. "Well, let me know how that turns out."

"Thanks, Mai."

I return to nursing my drink, my head full of thoughts. As the alcohol makes it's way through my system the cloud gradually dissipates until only one thought is left. How those eyes set my skin on fire.

_Author's Note:_

_I've been wanting to write a noir style crime piece set in the modern world so here's my take. Hope you like it. Also, this should go without saying, but this NOT futanari. I do not write futanari._


	2. Chapter 2

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

4:00 AM

A black van drives down the highway trying to remain inconspicuous. It's lights are off and it is nearly invisible in the dead of night as it heads quietly towards the docks. The tires crunch on gravel as it slows to a stop behind a warehouse and directly across from another, similar looking van. It honks twice then waits. Only when the other van has honked twice in answer does the sliding door open and four large men wearing suits and carrying a large cooler between them step out of it and walk into the glow of the headlights.

Opposite them, four equally large men step out of their van, the largest of whom carrying a briefcase chained to his wrist. Their exchange is simple and brief with no complications. The cooler and briefcase change hands then the seperate parties board their vans to be carried back to their respective bosses, both confident in the secrecy of the exchange. A pair of eyes can barely be seen from the rooftop of the warehouse. The light of a cellphone can be seen for only an instant. "It's done."

6:00 AM

Fujino Shizuru:

_Diving through a sea of smoke._

_Gunshots in the dark._

_An explosion in the night._

_Green eyes watching me, green eyes loving me. Green eyes..._

I wake after having such a strange dream, a dream that leaves me shivering even in the warmth of my bed. Such a strange dream, I've never had one like it before. I don't remember the details but one image stays with me, green eyes. I shiver again and lay my head back on my pillow. _Where have I seen those eyes before?_

I slowly get up and wipe the sleep from my eyes. I look around me at the same room that I always wake up in, the same walls, the same furniture, the same velvet drapes, the same four poster bed with the same satin sheets and, just like everyday, I wake up alone. The first order of business is to take a long, hot bath.

After ten minutes I dip myself slowly into the steaming water and let it wash me clean. I love hot baths, they leave me feeling clean and my skin as soft as a baby's. No moisturizer required. After lathering up I lay back and lay a cold towel over my eyes. It's in these moments, these quiet moments alone in my house, that I find the truest peace I've ever known. Still, it is lonely here.

After I've spent enough time in the bath, I'm sure I'll look like a raisin if I stay in any longer, I step out and towel off, still steaming as I put on my morning jogging outfit and a pair of jogging shoes. I step out into my bedroom and hear my phone ringing from here it lays on my bedside table. I check the caller, Reito. _Ugh, it's too early for this. _"Hey, honey."

"Good morning, sweetheart." His voice is a drone like always, emotionless even talking to me. I can't even remember the last time he showed any emotion towards me or interest in me. Our relationship is for show now, a part that we both play. "I was just checking in. How did you sleep?"

I sigh. _Why ask? You don't care. _"Just fine, darling. Are you at the office again today?"

"I am. I'm sorry I won't be able to come by today but I'll be along this weekend. We can spend some time together then, okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Okay, I love you."

"Bye."

I hang up the phone feeling like a bitch but it's getting hard to keep up the act. I check my voicemail and, to my surprise, find one from a number that I don't have a contact for. I press play. "It's done. Meet me at the Blue, tonight for a debrief." I understand and immediately delete the message. I can't let him know that I've hired someone to follow him.

I walk down the stairs and head for the kitchen. I cook myself a healthy breakfast, bacon, eggs and toast with a nice glass of milk. After I'm done eating I step out of the house, lock the door behind me, and take off on my morning run. Staying healthy is very important to me. I run for a half an hour everyday, it helps to keep my thighs and stomach toned and helps my stamina. I get a lot of stares like I always do, the local men are used to my schedule by now and a lot of them are purposely standing on their porches to watch me. Men driving by turn their heads in my direction. Dogs.

My run takes me around the neighborhood, down a few turns and back around to my house. Just down the street I see a familiar looking sky-blue Mitsubishi sitting outside of someone's house. No one is inside, so I don't think anything of it.

When I get inside I strip out of my running clothes, towel off and put on one of my favorite outfits, a long black skirt with a white top, and am getting ready to sit down when I hear a knock on my front door. I answer the door and find a familiar mane of blond hair attached to a familiar face. "You have any plans today?"

"No?" I shake my head in confusion. I hadn't expected to see them today. "Why?"

Haruka reaches out and take any wrist. "Good, because you're coming with us."

I pull my arm back. "What for?"

"Girl time." _That sounds like a horrible TV show. _"How long had it been since we've gone shopping together?" I open my mouth to answer but she cuts me off. "Too long. Come on, get out of this empty house and out into the world."

I sigh. _She's right. I'm going to drive myself crazy if I stay here and who knows, this might actually be fun. _"Fine. Just give me a minute to get ready." Haruka waits patiently while I head up to my room and don my favorite pair of sunglasses and pull my hair up into a manageable ponytail. I find my purse then head down to where Haruka is tapping her foot in impatience. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Finally."

I lock the door behind me and follow after Haruka who heads to her sedan that is parked in my driveway. A chill makes it's way down my spine, a familiar feeling of late. The feeling that I'm being watched. I look around but see nothing amiss. Still, I shouldn't ignore this feeling. _Has he figured out what I've been doing? No, it can't be. _I shake off the feeling and get into the backseat of Haruka's car. Yukino, as expected, is sitting in the oassenger's seat. "Hi, Shizuru."

"Hi, Yukino."

Yukino and Haruka have been close every since they were young. There were many rumors about them in high school but I was one of the privileged few who knew the truth. While many saw their relationship as a romantic one I knew that it was merely familial. They were like sisters to each other, a bond that I am jealous of to his day.

Haruka gets in and we start on our way downtown. Haruka starts reminiscing and by the time we arrive at the mall all three of us are laughing and joking like the old days. We enter the mall, a large, multi-storied complex with everything you could ever want inside of it, and we are standing near the fountain in the center. I notice there are a lot of coins at the bottom, wishes made by many of the passersby. I look down into the clear water and fish a coin out of my purse. I flick it into the water and quietly make a wish.

Haruka starts to say something but is cut off when a disheveled and poorly dressed man runs up to me and takes me by the shoulders. "Please miss, you have to help me." His eyes are blood red, his face has deep scars from where he has been clawing at his own face. My heart is beating fast, I'm terrified. "Please." He's screaming and foaming at the mouth. "I'm on fire, please help."

I push at him and he doesn't resist. His grip is weak and he falls away from me and latches on to Haruka. "Please, help." Haruka knocks him to the ground and he writhes on the floor. We're starting to gather a crowd as he writhes and screams on the floor. "No, I'm on fire. I'm on fire...FIRE."

By the time he guards arrive he has stopped writhing, his eyes bulge out of his sockets and a terrible smell comes up from him. He is dead and I'm about to vomit.

I feel an arm wrap around my shoulders. Haruka is standing next to me and I can tell by the look on her face that she is feeling like I am right now. Yukino has backed away and is standing almost in the fountain with her head in her hands. "Are you okay?"

I nod and catch my breath. "I'm fine." I look around us and spot a familiar flash of green in the crowd. The eyes are attached to a woman wearing a vest and cost with a fedora on her head. _Those eyes. I've seen them before. _She has a sympathetic look on her face but as soon as our eyes meet she turns and walks away.

"Shizuru?" Haruka is holding Yukino now but she's looking up at me. "You should sit down. The police will be here any minute."

I sit down on a nearby bench and wait. I'm not waiting long before several medical personnel and two officers approach. The medics confirm that he is dead and prepare to move his body. The officers begin to ask questions, starting with me. After they take my name and identification they waste no time in getting to the issue at hand. "Can you describe in detail what happened here?"

I tell them what little I know; about the three of us standing near the fountain, about his approach and how he grabbed hold of me, his incoherent babbling, the tears on his face, how I shoved him away and he latched onto Haruka, and finally about his writhing on the floor. The officer takes down my words on a tablet his is carrying and thanks me, then turns his attention to Haruka.

It's almost half an hour before we are released and I'm still shaken up about the incident. I can still feel that man's fingers on my shoulder and I rotate them trying to alleviate it. "That was...scary." I nod. "Well, no reason to let this day go to waste, right?"

After what just happened I have no interest in walking around the mall. "I think it's best if we just go home."

Yukino agrees. "Yeah, Haruka. I'm still shaking. Let's just go home."

Haruka is upset, I can tell, so I offer her something to sweeten the deal. "Why don't we just watch a movie at my house? We'll pick up some popcorn and some drinks on the way. How's that?"

Haruka smiles, her moping turns into her usual cocky gait. "Alright, but you're buying Fujino."

5:00 PM

The movie is over and Haruka and Yukino are leaving. I thank them for the evening, and it has been nice, but something has been on my mind since this morning. _"It's done." _Haruka gives me a big hug and I embrace Yukino just before they leave the house and head their own ways.

After they leave I head up to my bedroom. I strip out of my day clothes and put on a simple red dress, it shows a fair amount of skin while still remaining tasteful, loving the feel of the fabric on my skin. I release my hair from it's confines then set a brush to it, combing it out into manageable waves down my shoulders. I apply a bit of makeup, only eyeliner and mascara since my skin is naturally clear, then look at myself in the mirror. I'm satisfied with my work. I strap on a pair of heels I bought to match this outfit and set out for the Blue.

The Blue is a small bar downtown and a place that I've only been to once before. I find a place to park and have to walk a block to the place. I can feel everyone's eyes on me but I'm used to it. Let them look, they'll never touch.

The bouncer is all too quick to let me in and I find a booth near a corner to sit and wait for my contact. It's not long before a red head wearing a newsboy cap and an unassuming outfit saunters up to my booth and sits down across from me. She slides a manilla envelope across the table to me and I open it and slide the prints out into my hand. "I don't what was exchanged or for how much but something changed hands."

I thumb through the photos, hard to make out in the dark. Two vans, several men, a large cooler and a briefcase. It sounds like something out of a mobster movie. "Are you sure these are his men?"

"I'd stake my career on it."

The young woman looks at me with a smirk, green eyes turned up in mirth. I'm reminded of why I hired her, to spite her short red hair she is rather plain and unassuming. "Thank you, Ms. Yuuki. You've done an excellent job here."

"May I ask you a question?" This catches my attention and I acquiesce. "What do you intend to do with this information? Are you going to blackmail him?"

That was never the plan. "No. I'm going to get away from him."

She merely nods and I wonder if it was a wise idea to tell her. Oh well, what's the harm? We both stand and shake hands. She looks me up and down and smirks. "Somebody's dressed to kill. Out fishing?"

"No, I just like to dress up. It's fun."

"Right." She said sarcastically. "It looks like you're going to have lots of fun." The way she accented the last word made me think she meant something else, which was definitely not the plan. "Call me if you need anything."

She walked away leaving me alone in the bar surrounded by strangers. _Since I'm here, I may as well have a drink or two. _I sit down at the bar where a red haired, large breasted bartender saunters up and sets a coaster down in front of me. "What can I get for you?"

"A Shirley Temple, on the rocks."

"Coming right up." She mixes my drink with practiced ease then sets it before me. I take a drink. It's damn good and I tell her so. "Thanks." She smiles. "So what brings you around here? A woman as good looking as you should be able to get into any club she wants."

Now it's my turn to smile. "You're a charmer. I was in the neighborhood and thought I would stop by."

"Well you're sure to catch eyes here." The door bell chimes and I instinctively turn and catch a glimpse of emerald that nearly blinds me. She sits down at the bar just two seats away from me. She sets her fedora down on the counter, takes off her jacket and sets it on the stool next to her and lowers her head to the bar. She looks tired. The bartender approaches. "Natsuki? It looks like you've had a rough day."

She lifts her head, those gorgeous eyes fix on her. "You can say that again. Whiskey sour."

The bartender turns to fill the order and she looks around, accidentally making eye contact with me. Our eyes lock and my body freezes. I can see the same had happened to her. It suddenly becomes hard to breathe and a heat rises up in my stomach. I may be blushing, I'm not sure. _Green eyes... I want to lose myself in those eyes. Take me away with those eyes... _The bartender must have noticed because she snapped her fingers between us and snapped us out of our reverie.

"Are you two alright?"

She regains herself first and takes a drink of her glass. I'm struggling to catch my breath after that experience. _It feels familiar. Where have I seen those eyes..._

The bartender leans over the counter and whispers something to the woman. I don.'to know whether it was the whiskey or what she said but something brought a lot of color to the woman's cheeks. It is then that I make what would turn out to be a fateful decision. I gather up all my wits and courage and say to her, "Hi."

Her eyes dart around, trying to look at anything but me. She fails, however, and her eyes finally settle on me. "Hi."

I twirl my hair unconsciously in my right hand, a sure sign that I'm nervous and I am very nervous. My throat is dry and my heart is beating faster than it ever has. "What's your name?"

She doesn't answer immediately, like she has to think about it. "Natsuki."

_Natsuki. The heavens sing a song named Natsuki. That name is now inscribed on my soul. What is wrong with me? _"What's yours?"

I take a drink from my glass, it helps to calm me down. "Shi-zu-ru." I accent each syllable in my name for her. I want her to remember. I need her to remember.

"Shizuru." She tries it out on her tongue. Her eyes rove over me and she's practically salivating. "You look amazing."

"Thanks." I smirk. Something is making me more relaxed, though whether it's the liquor or the conversation I'm not sure. When I lift my glass it's empty. Natsuki motions for the bartender to fill it. She hands me a fresh glass and I take it and slide it over to stools until I'm sitting next to her. "You're quite handsome yourself."

Just being near her is euphoric. My heart is pounding in my chest and in my ears so I have to struggle to hear her. I feel lighter than air. If I were any lighter I would just float away. She looks at me again and I melt into those emerald eyes. She looks away and empties her glass. The bartender is quick with another one. "Thanks, Mai." _The bartender's name is Mai. I'll have to remember that._

"This is going to sound like an odd question, but have we met before?" She lowers her head and that jogs something in my memory. _She had her head down on a table in the... _"Restaurant." She gives me a weird look. "I saw you at the restaurant yesterday."

"That's right." She turned in the chair so she could face me. "Now it's my turn to ask a weird question." I'm curious. "Do you do this often? I mean come to a bar and flirt with women?"

I can't help the smile that crosses my face. I chuckle then take a long drink from my glass. The liquor burns it's way down my throat and my head gets a little swimmy. "Nope, never."

"Guys?"

I scoff. "As if."

"So, why are you talking to me?"

_That's the question, isn't it? Why am I talking to you? Was I drawn to you? Why do you make me feel this way? _All these thoughts run through my head, but all I can say is, "I don't know."

We're quiet after that, but not an awkward 'there's nothing more to say to each other' silence. It's a comfortable silence, something I've never known with another human being. We drink our glasses empty and they are magically refilled. Mai is one hell of a bartender.

We spend a good part of the night drinking and talking together and by the time midnight rolls around I'm feeling a bit tipsy. I'm swaying and when I get to my feet it is unsteadily. I'm holding on to the bar to keep myself upright. Natsuki sends a smile my way and takes me by the arm. Mai looks at us over the bar. "Is she going to be alright?"

"I'll call her a cab."

She helps me out the door and we sit down on a bench outside. She pulls out her cellphone and calls me a cab. When she hangs up I snatch the phone from her. "Hey, give that back." I quickly punch in a number and save a new contact before she manages to get the phone out of my hands.

She takes one look at her phone and I can see the smile, even though she tries to hide it. "Give me a call sometime, babe." That's the last thing I remember saying to her.

Kuga Natsuki:

"Fuck." I slam my hand against the steering wheel of my Mitsubishi. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." I press my forehead against the wheel and am jolted back by the horn blowing. _I blew it. I just fucking blew it. I told her my name. She gave me her number. _

The case is over now. I can't tail a woman who knows me, I can't covertly watch a woman who would recognize me and now that she knows who I am she could go underground. This job is done for me. "Fuck." I thumb my phone on, the screen still shows my new contact. 'Shizuru'.

_Wait a minute. _The thought runs through my head like a freight train, knocking everything else out of it's path. _She's messing with me. She must have figured out who I was at the restaurant and now she's messing with my head. Dammit._

Not that it matters. My cover is blown and the job is as good as over. On the passenger's seat is a picture of Shizuru and I pick it up. She is standing in a gazebo on the end of a dock. Behind her all that is visible is clear water and the green fields just beyond it. She is wearing a yukata and is absolutely gorgeous in it, her long hair flowing down the white floral patterned cloth, her burgundy eyes glistening in the sunlight. I close my eyes and relish in the warmth that is filling me.

After gathering myself, I start the car and head back home where my soft bed is waiting for me.


	3. Chapter 3

Wednesday, August 7

8:30 PM

Kuga Natsuki:

I'm sitting in the Blue talking to Mai. After explaining the entire situation to her: getting the job to tail Shizuru, our run in at the restaurant, the incident at the mall and her approaching me she laughs at me. "So she spotted you a total of three times in your two days of tailing her. How do you keep getting work?"

"Shut up."

She keeps laughing and cleaning out some of the glasses behind the bar. It's slow today, the bar is empty save for me. I've been tormented by the little numbers in my phone, her name on the screen. _Why did she give me this? What is her game?_ I've also been wondering just how I could slip up so badly. _Maybe I wanted her to see me? _"Did it ever occur to you that she's serious?" Mai catches my attention with her insightful comment. "You said she's engaged. Maybe she's not happy, maybe she wants out."

_It's possible, I do tend to read too deeply into things. Maybe I'm thinking about this too much._ "Maybe."

"Do you like her?" The question catches me off guard. "Try this, forget all the bullshit; the fiancé, the job, the mind games, forget all of that. If she were a woman you met last night and she gave you her number like she did, would you call her?"

_Fuck yes. I'd have called her last night._ "Without a doubt."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

I down the last of my whiskey in one drink, setting the empty glass back on the table with finality. The phone is in my hand before I'm consciously aware of it, her number glaring back at me with all the seduction that numbers on a screen can muster. I breathe deep and press the call button.

I excuse myself and walk away from the bar to a more secluded area. The phone rings. It rings again. My nerves are shot, my mind running through a hundred scenarios where she doesn't answer, or she does and laughs at me, or it turns out to be a trap. It rings a third time and I'm ready to hang up when I hear a click on the other end. "Hello?"

_She answered._ I find myself struggling to find the words. My tongue feels like it's tied into a sailor's knot. "H-hello. This is...is Natsuki..." _What is wrong with me? Are those even words?_

"I was wondering if you would call." Her voice is playful, seductive and charming. I can imagine the woman sitting on her bed in nothing but a lace nightgown. I want to be on that bed with her. "I'm glad you did. I don't normally do things like this."

"Neither do I. I mean..." _You're engaged. I've never been with someone who was engaged, or married for that matter. That's a line I normally don't cross. _

"There's something you should know, Natsuki. I'm engaged." She says it with trepidation, like she doesn't know how I'll react. The truth is I'm not entirely sure how to react. There's something between us, I felt it when I first laid eyes on her and I can feel it now, even just hearing her voice raises my heart rate, but there is that elephant in the room. Part of me knows this will be trouble but the rest of me doesn't care. _I'm a PI, my life is trouble._

"Then why...?"

"I don't know. Because I felt something the first time our eyes met in that restaurant. It was something I haven't felt in all the time I've been engaged. I want you, Natsuki. I want to be with you, I want to love you, I want you to love me, I... I've never felt like this." I bite my lip. "Listen, there's this ball I'll be attending tomorrow. I go every year but this year Reito said he wouldn't be able to go." She pauses, like she's gathering up the courage to ask. "Would you be able to escort me tomorrow?"

This was not one of the scenarios that had run through my head when I first made the call. I never thought she would tell me her feelings directly and I never thought she would ask me out so soon. Of course, I have no intentions of telling her no. "I'd love to but high society really isn't my thing. I would be out of place."

"Don't worry about that. Just come by my house at five to pick me up. I'll text you the address."

_She doesn't know that I know her address._ It sets me more at ease but I still won't fully let my guard down. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then, Shizuru. Good night."

"Sweet dreams, Natsuki."

We hang up and I hold the phone close to my chest which has tightened through our conversation. This took a completely different turn than Ihad expected and when I return the bar Mai is there to ask me what happened. "So, did she answer?"

"Yeah, she did."

"And? What did she say?"

A smile plays across my face. "I'm escorting her to a ball tomorrow evening."

"A ball?" She laughs. "You're going to be so out of place."

"That's what I said. She didn't seem to mind though." She sets a refill down and I take a sip of it. "I'm nervous."

"You've got nothing to be nervous about. You'll do fine, Natsuki. I know you will." Her face changed, like an idea struck her mind. "Do you know how to dance?"

"I know a little. Why?"

"It's a ball. That means you're going to have to dance." She looked around the bar to make sure it was empty. "Here, I'll show you." She walks around the bar and I meet her on the dance floor. I stand awkwardly a pace away from her. She closes the distance between us and stands uncomfortably close. "You have to stand close. Now put your hands like this," she takes my hands and places them, one on her hip and the other in her shoulder, "and follow my lead."

She starts swaying and I struggle to follow. I'm focused on my feet and keeping them moving in the same pattern as hers. _Left, right, left, right... Ah._ I move wrong and step on her foot. She hisses and smacks me on the back of the head. "Hey, pay attention."

"I am."

"Come on. Try again."

Slowly but surely I find my feet until the two of us are moving in sync. She moves closer to me until we're pressed together, dancing with no space between us. "You just wanted an excuse to feel me up didn't you?" I say with a smirk.

"You wish I went that way." She replies. "Just focus on your date tomorrow. You're going to do fine."

"I hope so. I don't want to screw this up."

Thursday, August 8

4:30 PM

My palms are sweaty on the wheel of my Mitsubishi and, to spite the fact that the air conditioner is on, I am sweating like crazy in the my seat. I'm nervous, and not just ordinary nervous. I've felt less nervous facing down armed gunmen before. This is something entirely different. This is a date, but no ordinary date, this is a date with one of the most beautiful women I've ever laid eyes on, a woman I felt an instant connection with as soon as our eyes met, and a woman who is engaged to another man.

I've on my best looking suit for the occasion: a black jacket that I'm considering taking off, a black vest over a white button down shirt, both made of silk, my best pair of black slacks and my dress shoes. My hair is tied back in a tight bun, better that it's out of the way, and tucked into my favorite fedora, black felt with a white rose on the brim.

_Calm yourself. You're no good to anyone if you lose your nerve._ It's a mantra of sorts, one of the best things my grandfather taught me, aside from the ability to put six rounds in the ten ring at one hundred yards. He always said the one who lives isn't always the best shot, it's the guy who can keep his head in a crisis. That advice has saved my life more times than I can count but it's doing nothing for me now. _Breathe, Natsuki. Breathe._

I pull onto the street and double check the address she sent me on my phone accompanied by a picture of her wearing a tight shirt that accentuates her 'assets' and making a kissy face for the camera. Now it is definitely too hot in this car, time for the jacket to come off.

I find the house easily enough and pull into the driveway. After spending a few mintues calming my rising libido, I step out of the car and walk up the long walkway towards the front door. My footsteps fall in step with my pounding heartbeat that somehow grows louder the closer I get to the house. By the time I reach the door I'm wondering what my chances are of having a stroke while waiting for her to answer. I knock.

"Natsuki?"

An intercom next to the door speaks and I nearly jump out of my skin. After composing myself I reach for the talk button. "Yeah, it's me." I say with surprising confidence.

"You're early." Her tone is teasing, she is amused. "Come inside and make yourself comfortable. I'll be down in a minute."

I hear a click that unlocks the door. I open and walk into a tastefully decorated living room. The walls and floor are natural wood with a brick fireplace in one corner. The walls are sparsely decorated with a few paintings of birds or trees but I notice an absence of photos, none of her or of her fiancé. A single couch sits next to a recliner facing a large, flat screen TV mounted on the wall.

I take my hat off and sit down on the couch, it's suede so I practically melt into it. From upstairs I can hear the sound of jazz music playing. The sound of a saxophone plays over the air and further calms me. I stretch my feet out and relax when the music suddenly sounds clearer. I stand and watch as Shizuru glides down the stairs and into the room wearing a floor length white ball gown that takes my breath away. Her hair is loose and falls elegantly down her shoulder in waves. Her heels make a clicking sound on the hardwood floors as she walks, with them on she stands as tall as me. Her burgundy eyes light up when she sees me, her eyes are made up with mascara but other than that she is wearing no makeup, and she strides across the room towards me. "How do I look?"

"You look amazing, Shizuru." That is what I want to say. What actually leaves my mouth is a jumble of sounds that don't sound like words, or even human language, a guttural speech reminiscent of apes or cave dwelling ancient peoples.

She chuckled as she stands close to me, her eyes studying me like a PhD. "You look handsome. Except..." She is standing so close now that we're almost touching. Her arms reach around my head and she undoes my bun, freeing my hair to fall down my shoulders. "You look cuter with your hair down."

She turns away, her right hand trailing on my cheek as she walks back to the stairs. "I need to get my purse. I'll be right back." She walks upstairs and I'm left in her wake, standing like a statue until she comes back with her purse in hand and an elegant white coat over her shoulders. The weather outside has turned chilly and I was going to offer her my coat. "Ready?"

I nod and we take off. She directs me to an elegant building downtown and after finding a place to park in the lot that is quickly growing full we exit the car and start walking towards the building. She takes my arm and leans against me as we walk through the double doors and into a large foyer. The place is opulently decorated for the ball and I start to feel out of place surrounded by the well dressed ladies and gentlemen around me. I look around me and I see more money on people's backs than I could earn in a year.

I'm starting to feel intimidated when I feel Shizuru take my hand and tighten her grip. I look at her and she looks at me with a smile that says, 'Don't worry, it's all going to be okay'. With her beside me I suddenly feel invincible as we weave our way through the crowd and to a large room with a dancefloor in the center and tables of food around it near the walls. Shizuru gives me a quick kiss on the cheek then turns her attention to the friends she was speaking with at the restaurant leaving me to peruse the food tables looking for anything to eat.

I find a platter of shrimp and I'm tearing into it when I feel someone take me by the arm and turn me around. Shizuru is standing there and she holds my hand. The lights go down and the lights around the dancefloor light up, a live band sits at one end of the room and they start to play. "Dance with me?"

I follow her to the dancefloor. We are getting dirty looks from everyone around us but I don't care, I only have eyes for her. She stops and we meet in the middle, our eyes lock and my hands already know what to do. _One on her waist and the other on her shoulder._ She smiles and her hands follow suit. "I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd know how to dance."

"I'm full of surprises."

We start dancing and the world seems to stop around us. She relaxes into me and lets me take the lead. Having her so close to me is heaven. She closes her eyes and leans her head on my shoulder as we sway back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. The music, the other people, the room, the fiancé, all of it disappears and all that exists in that moment is two women and a passion that I have longed to feel.

I feel her lips press against me, butterfly kisses on my neck. Her voice is raspy and low in my ears. "I don't want to go home tonight. I don't want to be alone."

I whisper into her ear, "Me neither."

Her lips are close to mine now. So close. I look into her eyes and I see a fire behind them, likely the same one she sees in mine. I kiss her and she returns it, a short, passionate kiss that promises more to come. "Will you take me to your place?"

"Yes."

We leave together, Shizuru on my arm as we walk out into the parking lot. I'm surprised to find the sky dark and the wind has picked up since we entered. I check my phone to find that we spent nearly two hours on that dancefloor. _It felt like only moments to me._ Shizuru shivers a bit next to me so I take off my coat and put it around her shoulders. She thanks me with a kiss then we're driving to my place.

When we get there I open the door and she walks in, dropping my jacket haphazardly on the floor. "You have a nice place." I lock the door behind and turn around to find her pressed against me, pushing me back against the door. Her lips search for mine and find them, a passionate kiss that I never want to stop. Her hands roam awkwardly around my body. I push her gently away. "My bedroom is this way."

I take her by the hand and show her to my bedroom. It's small, little more than a closet with room for a futon. I pull her to me and press my lips to hers. Her mouth opens and I accept the invitation. We're swapping saliva, my hands are on her back while her arms are wrapped around my neck. I take my vest off and slowly, one at a time, she starts unbuttoning my shirt. I relish her taste, her smell, the feel of her pressed against me.

She reaches the last button and I pull the shirt off. She starts kissing on my collarbone and the sensation makes my knees weak. I fall back onto the bed but Shizuru remains standing. She turns around and motions to her zipper. "Unzip me."

I happily oblige, slowly pulling the long zipper down until it stops just a over her shapely ass. She looks back at me over her shoulder as she slides the sleeves sensuously off of her shoulder. Her dress falls to the floor revealing her perfect figure, silken skin and a matching pair of bra and panties. My breath stops, she is so gorgeous.

I lay back on my bed and she crawls on top of me. Our mouths meet and we melt into each other again. I reach around her and pop the catch on her bra with one swift, practiced motion. We seperate long enough for her to toss the garment to the side then we're back at each other. My hands reach for her breasts, those perfect breasts. My mouth is on her neck, sucking and pulling at her flesh. I can feel her shivering.

I hook my leg around hers and reverse our positions, rolling her onto her back with me on top of her. I take a moment to look at her, her hair splayed across my bed, her lips just begging to be kissed, her slender neck bare, her chest open to me. I've never wanted anything in my entire life more than I want her right now.

I stop wasting time and get back to her. She moans when I take her breasts in my hands, when I kiss lightly along her collarbone, when my hand travels down and reaches beneath her panties to her soaking center. "Ohh...Natsuki..."

She calls my name and it sets me on fire. Slowly I remove her panties. She stretches her legs before me and I dive right in, tongue and fingers working their magic until she calls my name breathlessly then lays back on my bed panting and drenched in sweat. I savor her flavor, lick it off my fingers one at a time. She sits up and kisses me. _I wonder if she likes her own taste._ Her hands wrap around me and fumble with the catch to my bra, making me chuckle. _She must be new to this. She is so adorable._ I help her, removing the garment and tossing it off to the side. She looks up apologetically but I won't let her do that. I kiss her and help her take my pants and panties off. I take her hand and guide it down to me. Slowly, I press her fingers into me. The heat builds in me and I moan when her teeth find a soft spot on my neck. "Ohh...just like...mmm...that..."

Her fingers move inside me and I'm on fire. My body moves on it's own. It's hard to breathe. My legs are shaking. My hands grip her hair, she knows what she's doing now. She keeps going, faster...faster..._Oh, god I can't take anymore..._I come hard, a powerful orgasm that leaves me breathless and shaking. I lay my head back tying to catch my breath. She takes me by the waist and gently lowers me to the bed. I'm laying on my back, my head on a pillow with her arm beneath me. Her other arm is draped over me, her head is laying on my shoulder. _I need a smoke._

I reach for my bedside table where a pack is laying next to an old zippo that had belonged to my grandfather. An imprint of his badge was still on it, though faded with age. I flick it open and light the cigarette, taking a long drag that satisfies everything that Shizuru couldn't reach. _There's not much of that._ I hold the cigarette in my hand that is wrapped around her shoulder. I exhale, the smoke dissipating into the air. To my surprise she leans up and takes a drag. She exhales, her smoke joining mine in the air above us. _I guess I'm not the only one full of surprises._

She relaxes against me and for the first time in as long as I can remember I am content. Nothing on my mind except the woman in my bed. "How did I do?"

_You have to ask?_ "Baby, you were dynamite." I close then open my fist to emphasize it and she laughs aloud. Even her laugh is like music to my ears.  
"I'm glad. I was a little worried, I've never done this before."

"Then you're a natural."

Time passes like this, with us lying together in bliss. She lets out a sigh. "I need to go."

A sinking feeling hits the pit of my stomach. _I don't want her to go. Stay with me._ I've been running on adrenaline, focused on her and nothing else, but a lot of things start to become clear to me in that instant. One, she means a lot to me. Two, she's getting married to an asshole. Three, she's leaving so that she doesn't get caught with me. Fuck.

She gets up and searches around for her clothes. I help her, and after a minute she is fully dressed again. I'm standing before her, I haven't bothered to get dressed and am standing there in just my socks. The look on my face must have given me away, a sympathetic look crosses her face. "I'm sorry, Natsuki, but I've got to run."

I close the distance between us and take her in my arms. I kiss her passionately. "Just tell me this wasn't a one night stand. Tell me I'll get to see you again."

Her hand strokes my cheek. "After tonight, you can count on it." She kisses me gently on the lips. "Call me tomorrow, understand."

"Okay. Let me get some clothes on and I'll take you home."

She stops me. "I'll just call a cab." _It's probably safer this way. No chance of us getting caught then._ "Bye."

"Bye." The door closes behind her and I press my head to it. All alone everything hits me all at once. _This is going to get messy before it's over. I'll just have to win._

_Author's Note:_

_Thanks for the comments, I read them every day. They keep me doing this. Some of you may think that this story is moving fast but I wanted their attraction to be instantaneous and irresistible._


	4. Chapter 4

Thursday, August 8

3:30 AM

Yuuki Nao:

_Shit, shit, shit, fuck._

I'm running as fast as I she can through darkened alleys between warehouses trying to outrun the ten or so gunmen now chasing me. This mission turned into a clusterfuck after I nearly fell off some loose scaffolding and gave myself away while on a high risk stakeout. _And I'm normally so graceful, too._ Now I'm running from more guns than my 9mm can handle trying to find some decent shadows to duck down in.

Up ahead of me I see a door slightly ajar. _About damn time I get lucky._ I hit the door full sprint and slam it shut behind me hoping that the gunmen didn't see me enter. The warehouse is dark, the only light streaming in from the skylights in two lines on the ceiling. I creep slowly, my hands in front of me to keep from running into anything and make my way slowly towards the back of the room. I pull out my phone and dial the only contact I'm sure will pick up. "Do you know what time it is, Yuuki?"

"Yeah, it's time you pay me back, Kuga. I need your help." I hear the door open behind me and curse. "I'm at the docks and I'm in deep shit."

"The docks?" I'm creeping low to the ground to reduce my shadow and the sound of my footsteps. "That's twenty mintues away."

"Then you'd better hurry up." I take a corner and see one of them in front of me. "I gotta go."

"How am I going to find you?"

I flick off the safety. "Just follow the shooting." I hang up the phone and creep slowly on the man in front of me. I get within reach and silently hit him in the back of the neck with my pistol. He goes down in a heap and I continue onwards.

"There she is." I see a flashlight pointed in my direction followed by the declaration and this just became a fight for my life. I fire a shot in the direction of the voice, hearing a satisfying groan in response, and take off in the opposite direction. I can hear shots but the darkness has gone from enemy to beloved friend, none of them even come close to me. Flashlight beams move frantically around the warehouse trying to catch a glimpse of me but by that time I am nearing the back wall and, what I'm sure is, certain freedom. That's when fate kicks me when I'm down.

The back wall is solid. No doors, no exits, not even a god damned rat hole to crawl out of. "Fuck." I kick the wall and three flashlights immediately turn in my direction. I roll my eyes. _Time to run the fucking gauntlet._

I'm already running by the time the first shot rings out. I run low, using the large crates as cover from the gunfire. They stop shooting, flashlights scanning for me again. I stay low and stay quiet until I reach the door. They left one man to guard it, easy. His eyes are scanning ahead of him so I wait until his gaze is ahead of me then charge at a full sprint towards him. By the time he can react I'm on him. A quick hit to the solar plexus bends him over and a hit to the back of the head with my pistol drops him. Easy.

A gunshot hits the wall in front of me. They know where I'm at but the chase is on again as I bolt through the door and out into the open air. _Come on, Kuga. You owe me._ The chase leads outside. I'm getting winded, my legs are burning and I'm not sure how much more I can run. Ahead is a four way, to my right is the exit and my heart rejoices. That's when I see the two men waiting for me. I stop in the center and hear footsteps from all around me. _More of them? I'm surrounded._ That's when I hear the sound of heaven's trumpets, which sounds an awful lot like the engine of a Mitsubishi.

A sky blue Mitsubishi crashes through the entrance gate and skids to a stop just behind the two gun men there. The door opens and a dark haired goddess steps out, .45 cocked and ready for action. She fires twice and hits each man in front of her in the knee. They go down and she beckons to me. "Get your ass over here."

I gather up my remaining strength and run to her. Her .45 barks twice more, laying down covering fire until I can reach her. It fires twice more as I pass her and head for her car. I slide across the hood and dive in the front seat. She fires one more shot then dives back into the car, hitting the pedal as soon as she's behind the wheel. Our doors slam shut and the car takes off, a few shots passing us by as we hit the road and drive away from the docks.

I can finally catch my breath now. Her eyes are on the road and me at the same time. "You alright? Did you get tagged?"

I shake my head. "I thought you...said twenty mintues."

She shrugs. "I exaggerated." I laugh, a 'You're an asshole' laugh, and take the fedora off my head. "So, are you going to tell me what happened?"

I smirk and look her way. "Not a chance."

"I can drive us right back to those gunmen, you know."

"They weren't my type." She chuckles, a faint smile turns up the side of her mouth. I like Kuga, she's my rival in business and I hate how damned good she is at her job but she's the closest thing I have to a friend. It's hard for people in our line of work to trust and in that we have an accord. She doesn't trust me and I don't trust her. "I'm parked just up ahead. You can drop me off there."

I parked my car in a well hidden spot that only I knew. Natsuki stops on the street. "Are we square?"

"Square as a pocket protector."

"Good, because the next time you call me at four in the morning I'm hanging up."

The car stops and I open the door. I smirk at her. "You know you like me." Before she can respond I close the door and wave. She looks at me with a grimace, I hold my fingers out like a gun pointed at her. She drives away and I find my car parked inside a nearby tunnel in a place where no one would think to look for it. I take out my phone and place a call to my client, telling her to meet me in an out of the way place in the afternoon. _At least I've got something to show her this time._

12:30 PM

Fujino Shizuru

I'm meeting Ms. Yuuki at an out of the way coffee house. From the sound if her message this morning she had something big for me. I have my phone close by in case Natsuki calls me, I've been anxiously waiting for her to call. Last night was amazing and it tore me up inside to have to leave her. I'm hoping we can spend another night like that. The radio is on.

_In business news the stock price of Kanzaki Pharmaceuticals, a company that has been in the red for several months, has finally started to go up in anticipation of the wedding between new CEO Kanzaki Reito and the heiress of Fujino Corporation, Fujino Shizuru. The eventual merger of the two companies would be a boon as the stock price of Fujino Corporation has steadily risen this quarter due to Fujino Eri's incredible business acumen._

I pull into a parking lot down the street and park in an open space that is away from the other cars, something I like to do, then make my way down the mostly empty sidewalk to the coffee shop on the corner. Inside I can see Ms. Yuuki waiting for me. Her fedora is laying on the table and she is tapping her foot slightly. I stand outside until just after our arranged time, just to make her sweat.

When I finally enter the coffee house she breathes noticeably easier. I sit across from her and order a cappuccino. "So, what's this big news you have for me?" She slides a manilla envelope across the table to me. Inside are at least a dozen pictures of a warehouse on the docks, several dozen men and cases of product with... Kanzaki Pharmaceuticals written on the side. _Is this right?_ "You're certain of this?"

"Pictures don't lie, Ms. Fujino. Those crates were from Kanzaki Pharmaceuticals." _What does this mean?_ "It seems that the product being transferred is from there."

"Why is he selling Kanzaki Pharmaceuticals on the black market?"

"I don't know. All I know is that it was hard as hell getting out of there and I deserve some hazard pay."

"Hazard pay? What happened?" She sighs. I can tell she's ashamed of what happened so I let it go. "Okay, I'll make sure you're compensated. Thank you, Ms. Yuuki. I'll call you again if I find out more."

She takes a long drink and empties her coffee cup. "It's always a pleasure, Ms. Fujino."

As soon as she leaves my phone rings and I jump to answer it. My heart leaps when I see her name. "Natsuki?"

"Hey, baby. I told you I'd call." Just the sound of her voice is all it takes to calm me. "What are you up to today? Can I see you?"

"Sure. Where can we meet?"

"Why don't you come to my place. Do you remember where it is?"

"Yeah." _I won't forget it soon, either. _

"Let's meet up there in, say, thirty minutes."

"Okay, I'll see you then."

I take my time and drink my coffee slowly, enjoying the rich flavor of the blend before making my way back to my car and heading towards downtown and Natsuki's apartment. I find it easily enough, I've committed it's location to memory, and park next to her sky blue Mitsubishi. She's waiting for me at the door to her place wearing her usual work clothes. _I wonder if she just got home. _

"Hey."

She greets me with a smile as I walk up. Her door is ajar and she's leaning against the frame, her dark hair tied up behind her. The first thing I do is reach around her and let her hair loose. She kisses me and I pull her close. I've been thinking about her all day and now that she's here with me I'm lost in her. Our lips part so that we can catch a breath. "Did you miss me?" I ask breathlessly.

"Come inside and I'll show you how much."

3:00 PM

I take a drag from the cigarette that Natsuki is holding and a wave of calm washes over me. I can see the amusement on her face, the intimacy of the gesture isn't lost on me. I lay my head back down on her naked chest and let out a sigh. I've never felt like this before, certainly not with Reito. Her arm is around me and the strength I feel in them makes me feel safe. "Are you going to stay tonight?"

I check the time. As much as I want to stay I need to be back home. "I can't...I have to go."

Natsuki's lip curls up and I can tell she's upset. She sits up abruptly and turns away from me giving me an look at her attractive backside. "Why? So you can be with him? Is he better than me?" She's looking away from me but I can hear the growl in her voice. "Go on then. Leave."

I sit up on my elbow and watch her. "Not if you're angry."

"I..." She stands up, fists balled. "I hate this."

"I don't love him." It's the truth, I have no feelings for him and I never truly did. "I love you more."

"Then why don't you leave him? Be with me, I'll protect you."

"It's not him I'm afraid of. It's my father." _Even you couldn't protect me from him. He would have you killed and drag me back to the house in chains._ "He's the one who arranged my marriage to Reito."

"I'll fight anyone I have to, I'll kill everyone if it means I get to be with you. I'll..."

"Shhh..." I shush her and take her hand as she paces close by, pulling her towards the bed. "Let's not talk about this. Come back to bed and show me all the things you'll do for me."

She shows me all and more and by the time five o'clock rolls around I'm not sure I can take anymore of her love. She's like a drug and I can't have enough. The taste of her lips lingers on my tongue and the sound of her breathlessly calling my name will forever bring a smile to my face. I kiss her and run my hand through her hair as she rests back against the pillow trying to catch her breath. My fingers are slick with her and I lick them clean slowly.

It's time for me to go, passed time actually, but I think I can forgive her. I kiss her softly on the lips and sit up from the bed. "I really need to go now, love."

She takes my hand. "Stay. Please."

Every time she asks it gets harder to say no. Hopefully soon I won't have to say no. _I just need a bit more ammunition. Then I can be free of him and free to make my own choices. _"Soon, love. I just need more time. Wait for me, okay?"

She doesn't say a word, merely rolls over with her back facing me and something tugs at my heart while I put on my clothes. When I'm done I lean over the bed and kiss her gently on the shoulder. She's asleep, I can tell by the easy way she's breathing. I whisper in her ear, "I love you", then walk out of the apartment and back out to my car.

The sun is going down by the time I arrive at my house. I notice a car is parked in my driveway, a car I recognize instantly. _Shit. _I pull in and walk up to the house. My hand rests on the doorknob for a moment before I pull it open and step inside. My worst fear is realized when I see a familiar face looking up at me from the couch. Reito stands up and walks over to me, a look of concern on his face. "Where were you all day? I tried to call you."

"My phone was off. Haruka demanded it."

"Those girls didn't run you too ragged, I hope." He leans in for a kiss. I close my eyes and allow him, though I want to vomit afterwards. _You're nothing like her. _He sniffs the air afterwards then sniffs at me. "Have you been smoking?"

"I went with Haruka to a bar, that's where I've been all day."

"Ah. Well you should shower before dinner. It'll be ready shortly." He easily accepts the lie and I breathe a little easier. I take his advice and head to my bath. There I take a long, hot bath before I finally come back down to find dinner spread on the table before me. "I thought I'd surprise you."

_You achieved that goal, though maybe not in the way you intended. _"It looks delicious. Shall we?"

The meal is as delicious as it looks. Reito clearly took his time with it. While the food is excellent I can't say the same for the company. Reito blathers on about his work and what he's been doing to try to save his company since his father passed. I notice he glosses over a few points, mainly where this sudden influx of money is coming from. "We've been trying to promote our product in new markets. It was your father's idea." _My father? _My thoughts turn back to the pictures, boxes with the Kanzaki label in a warehouse being bought by thugs. "He truly is a brilliant man."

"That he is." I respond with a drone. It was his brilliant idea to marry me off to this man and, while I don't hate Reito, I hate the position I've been put in. Reito is a great man, if a bit spineless, but I can't help but feel that he got the better part of the deal.

"You've been quiet tonight. Is something wrong?"

I put on my best smile for him. "No, nothing at all."

He stands and approaches, he puts his arms around me and kisses my neck. I wince but bear it. "Why don't we to upstairs, honey. I'll bet you feel better after."

_I'll take that bet. _My mind reaches for excuses, some reason why he can't touch me but I need to play the part. It's too early to reveal my hand just yet and I can't have him getting suspicious. _Forgive me for what I'm about to do._ I turn my head and kiss him, a submissive kiss that leaves a horrible taste in my mouth.

He takes me by the hand and leads me up to my bedroom. He tries, very hard, but the fact is that he is not Natsuki and no one else can please me like she can. He climbs atop me and I stare at the ceiling until he is finished. I put on a good show for him, but it's all for show and by the end he is sweaty and tired and I'm empty. "So was it good for you?" _If you have to ask, you know the answer. _I give him my best smile but don't say anything.

He closes his eyes, his arms wrap around me and pull me close to him. His arms don't have Natsuki's strength, though. He doesn't have the softness of her skin or the warmth that always seems to radiate from her. He doesn't have those lips that I long to kiss or those eyes I could get lost in. I don't love him, I love Natsuki. _Just a little bit longer, then I can be free of both of them._

9:00 PM

The lights are on in the office of an anonymous warehouse on the docks. Several men stand around a table. "She's getting close. I'm telling you she could be a threat. She needs to be dealt with."

"Why don't we put a hit on her? Plenty of guys in the city looking for work."

"The boss won't like us wacking his little girl."

"That's why we don't do it ourselves. Maybe the Russians got to her first. It was all outta our hands."

A smile creases a face. "I like it. Set it up."


	5. Chapter 5

**You guys really aren't seeing me at my best here. I hate abandoning stories, though, and I feel this one deserves an ending. Just stay with me and I'll try to make it worth it.**

Friday, August 9

10:30 AM

Kuga Natsuki:

I'm sitting in my office waiting for the inevitable confrontation. I had said 'by the end of the week' and that time is now. To be fair, I do have a definitive answer for him, but it's an answer that I can't give. _I'm not sure what's going on with her, but I trust Shizuru. I'm just going to wait and see what she does._ I'm getting anxious, while I know how to bluff my way out my feelings for Shizuru are threatening to break. _Breathe, Natsuki. You're going to get through this._

As if on cue a knock comes on my door and I buzz him in. Kanzaki Reito, and his handsome face that I want to bash in, come walking through my door and into my office. He approaches my desk with the swagger of one who is too important to be here. It annoys me but I keep my cool. "Ms. Kuga, it's good to see you again."

I grit my teeth. _Time to do the dance._ "Likewise, CEO Kanzaki. Please, sit."

Reito sits down in the chair across the desk from me. "You heard about that?"

"I'm a PI, Mr. Kanzaki. I'd be terrible at my job if I didn't know."

"Good point." Reito smirks at me and I inwardly seethe. "Do you have any information on my case?"

"I do." I open one of the drawers behind my desk and take out a file folder. I slide the folder across the desk to Reito who opens it and rifles through the contents. Pictures of Shizuru, some getting out of her car, a few outside of the mall with Haruka and Yukino, a couple of her in her house sipping tea and all of them taken over the last week. Just because we've been sleeping together doesn't mean I can ignore the job. "I've been following her for a week and she hasn't shown any of the usual symptoms of an affair. I think you're clean."

Reito exhales, a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. This had been weighing on my mind for some time now."

"Of course. Now, if you want I can continue the investigation. It's possible that she's just taking a break from her affair..."

"That won't be necessary. I can handle it from here." The way he says handle sticks out in my mind. We stand and he extends his hand out to me. "Thank you, Ms. Kuga. It was a pleasure working with you."

"I expect to be paid by the end of the day, Mr. Kanzaki." I squeeze his hand, probably harder than I should but I can't help it. I can see a wince on his face before he pulls his hand away.

"Here." He reaches into his pocket and takes out a manilla envelope. Inside is several stacks of cash. "I added a little extra. A tip, for a job well done." A little extra turns out to be twice what I charge. "Now, if it ever got out that I hired you..."

"It won't."

"Professional, as always. It's nice to see people with honor in this day and age."

"Whatever." He leaves my office and I fall back into my chair and breathe easier. I'm glad the job is done and I can resume seeing Shizuru in a less professional way. Still, the urge to just tell him I'm seeing Shizuru behind his back was tough to fight. He would have gotten angry, shouted a lot, probably take a swing at me but end up on the floor, I would have had to explain it to the cops and Shizuru would be in a terrible position but after all that, we would be together. Not the best outcome. Still, I wonder exactly what Shizuru is planning to do. _Is she serious about me? I still don't know the answer to that question. _

My doorbell buzzes shaking me from my thoughts. I hit the button and an older red-haired woman I recognize walks in. "Midori? What are you doing here?"

Detective Sugiura Midori is a police acquaintance of mine from the few times when I've crossed paths with the law. She's an older woman but still looks amazing and she can sling a pistol with the best of them. "Kuga Natsuki. Long time, no see. Was that Kanzaki Reito I just saw leaving your office? What did he want?"

"I just finished up a job for him. Do you need something?"

Midori almost never came to me unless she needed something. She sits down across from me. "Have you heard of REV?"

"I remember hearing something about it on the news. I think it's some new street drug."

"It is, but this isn't some ordinary drug. It affects the users nervous system and fries it. Over time it can lead to brain dysfunction and death, but in the short term it makes the user violent and unpredictable. Our officers have cornered them but their like beasts, we've had to put most of them down."

"What do you think I can do?"

Midori lowers her head and I know what she's going to ask. "I was hoping you could do some undercover work for us. We'll set up a sting, you'll go in and buy the product and we'll bust them in the act. After that we should be able to climb the ladder to find the source."

As mush as I hate undercover work it would be more challenging than what I've been getting lately. I could use a good workout. Plus the money will be nice, the Kanzaki job is the first job I've had in weeks. "I'm in. Just tell me when and where to be."

She claps and a smile crosses her face. "I knew I could count on you. The sting is set up for this weekend. Keep your schedule open and I'll call you with more details."

I sigh. "So, how are things with the doctor?" Her girlfriend is a doctor working at a local clinic, Dr. Sagisawa Youko. She's even pulled a few slugs out of me on occassion. Are you two still together?"

She sighs. "Yes, but our schedules don't line up most days. I barely get to spend one day a week with her. She's thinking about retiring this year."

"What about you?"

"Me? Never." She scoffs at the idea and I echo that sentiment. I'll never give it up, not until my body physically can't do it anymore. "You've got to do what you love, right? Speaking of," Midori fixes me with a look I don't like, "how are you on that regard? Has the lone wolf found a mate yet?"

I don't know whether to tell her or not, I'm not sure how she'll react. _"Yes, in fact I've been seeing Fujino Shizuru."_

_"The heiress? Isn't she engaged?"_

_"Why yes, Midori, she is."_

"It's complicated."

"I see." Midori stands from the chair when her phone starts ringing. "I need to take this. It was nice seeing you again and I'll call you when we have more details for you."

"Alright. Bye."

"Bye, Natsuki."

Midori answers her phone on her way out the door and I lay back in my chair. It's nice to have something to look forward to other than the next time I get to see Shizuru. Just thinking about her makes me hot and I decide it's time for a lunch break. I throw my jacket on and lock up behind me, then it's off to my favorite diner for a sandwich and a cup of joe. The diner is on the corner of the block that my office building sits on. It's a small place; a long bar takes up most of the space with several booths lining the wall against the windows, it seems like the same waitress is always working when I go and the kitchen looks a bit run down through the order window but the place always smells like food and the price is right so I frequent the joint.

I sit in my usual spot and order a reuben, a personal favorite and somewhat hard to get downtown. The waitress smiles at me and walks away to put in my order. I take a moment to watch her as she walks away. She's a heavyset girl but she has a nice figure but nothing compared to Shizuru. Shizuru is just so damned sexy. As has become the norm my thoughts drift to her and I have to stifle myself before I have to run home and change my pants. I've only known her for four days but I've thought about her more in those four days than I've ever thought about any woman I've ever been with. Before I know it my phone is in my hand, her name is just under my fingers. _No, I can't call her. There's no telling who she's with and I won't risk our relationship to hear her voice. Don't worry, Natsuki, she'll call._

My reuben shows up and I devour it, not realizing how hungry I was, and the coffee helps to calm me. After my run in with Reito I'm was a little on edge but after eating I feel refreshed and ready to finish my day, which involves a lot of nothing until I can get some more clients. Business has been pretty low these days but I'm confident things are about to look up. I'm walking back to the office when I feel a cold wind hit my back, my hairs stand on end and it sends a shiver down my spine. _An omen? Nah, I don't belive in that shit._

7:00 PM

As I'm thinking her name my phone rings and her familiar face pops up on my screen. I smile and answer the phone. "Hey, baby."

"You know I love it when you call me that." Her voice is sultry and lustful, it sends a shiver down my back. "Want to meet up tonight? I could use some company."

"I'd love to. The Blue, then?"

"Why don't you come to my place. I'll be waiting for you."

"Let me change into something sexy and I'll be right over." I match Shizuru's lustful tone, my voice is thick and I can almost feel Shizuru shiver on the other side of the phone.

"Don't take too long."

I hang up the phone and make my way over to the armoire and throw open the doors. Inside is my impressive collection of lingerie, from lacy bras to silk panties to satin slips and even some rare, imported articles. I thumb through them and choose a matching pair of bra and panties made from sheer silk and undress. I put them on, loving the feel of the fabric. Over it I wear a pair of slacks and one of my button down shirts then I go to tie my hair up but decide against it. As I'm walking out I stop to check myself out on a full length mirror that rests against the wall and I'm satisfied with how I look, then I grabbed my keys and head for the car.

I'm all smiles as I hit the highway, my heart is pounding in my ears and my body feels hot. I've never felt this way about seeing anyone before and it thrills me. _Is this what love is?_ The car eats up the miles until I pull onto the off ramp that will take me to the suburbs where Shizuru lives.

The phone rings and I pressed the button to answer it on speaker. "Natsuki?" The voice on the other side of the phone sounds panicked. "A car just pulled into my driveway and four guys with guns got out." My breath stops and I lose my focus on the road momentarily, nearly missing a turn before I realize what I'm doing. "Don't come here, please..."

"I'm just down the street. Find someplace to hide and I'll be there as fast as I can."

"No, I don't want you to get hurt. Just stay away."

I want to laugh. _Like I could stay away after hearing that._ "Find someplace to hide, baby, and wait for me. I'm only a few minutes away."

A pause over the phone and I can barely hear the sounds of movement. "Don't do anything stupid, okay."

"That's my line."

The phone goes dead and I slam on the accelerator, making the car growl and leap forward like an angry wolf. "Please let me make it in time."

7:00 PM

Fujino Shizuru:

I'm sitting on my couch with my laptop on my lap, checking stock prices as I often do. I notice that Kanzaki Pharmaceuticals stock is steadily rising after a recent decline, I sigh and close the laptop with a thud. The TV is on but it's just noise, I don't even know what's on it and it's certainly not something I care about. I look outside to see that it has gotten dark and only one thing is on my mind, or person rather. Natsuki, I want to call her. My hand is on my phone before I even realize it, her name pops up and I press down on it, wanting to see her again.

"Hey, baby."

Just the sound of her voice immediately brings a smile to my face and I realize just how much I've missed her. Also, I love it when she calls me that. "You know I love it when you call me that." I use my sexiest tone, reserved just for her, and I know it's made an impact. I can practically feel her shudder over the phone. I almost forget why I called in the first place. "Want to meet up tonight? I could use the company."

It's the truth, I hate being in this house by myself. "I'd love to. The Blue, then?"

I don't want to go to a bar tonight and I was hoping to have something more personal, more intimate. "Why don't you come to my place. I'll be waiting for you."

"Let me change into something sexy and I'll be right over." Her voice was thick and sexy and I couldn't resist the shiver that crept up my spine at hearing it. I had started the flirting game but she was playing very well.

"Don't take too long."

I'm getting excited just thinking about her in something sexy. The phone goes dead and I hop off of the couch. I look around the normally clean room and notice a few things out of place. I can't have Natsuki seeing an untidy house so I resolve to clean up before she gets here.

I finish up the living room and toss a plate into the sink when I see it, a black car pulls into the parking lot and my heart rate goes up. The doors open and four men step out of it, they head to the trunk and the next time I see them they have guns. _What the hell is this? _My first thought is to call Natsuki to warn her.

Thankfully she picks up quickly. "Natsuki? A car just pulled into my driveway and four guys with guns got out." My intent isn't to call her for help, I'm trying to warn her away. I don't know why these guys are here but I don't want her getting caught up in this. "Don't come here, please..."

"I'm just down the street. Find someplace to hide and I'll be there as fast as I can."

Her voice is like steel but I'm resolved as well. I can't have her getting hurt because of me, I would never be able to live with myself. "No, I don't want you to get hurt. Just stay away."

"Find someplace to hide, baby, and wait for me. I'm only a few minutes away."

The four men start towards the house and I start towards the stairs to my room. I may not want to get her involved but if she can help me then I'll just have to trust her. "Don't do anything stupid, okay."

"That's my line."

I hang up the phone and sprint as quickly up the stairs as my legs will carry me. I run into my room and slam the door behind me just as I hear the sounds of the front door being kicked in. Beneath my bed is a case that holds a 9mm and, even though I was never very good with it, I take it out and aim it straight at the door.

Minutes tick by, my heart is racing and breathing is erratic. I can hear them downstairs, looking for me. "Ms. Fujino, we know you're here. Come on out and we'll make this easy for you." His voice is accented, it sounds Russian but I can tell it's fake, the guy isn't very good at voices. "It'll be worse for you if you struggle."

Heavy footsteps sound on the stairs and my hand is shaking from holding up the gun but I take in a deep breath and ready myself. The door handle shakes but I locked it so it won't budge. "Are you in here?" From this distance I can tell he's Japanese.

The door shudders as something heavy strikes it. My finger tightens on the trigger, my hands are shaking badly but I will them steady. The door shudders again before flying open. Our eyes meet for a second before my finger tightens and I fire a shot that hits the man in the chest. The 9mm in my hand doesn't have a lot of power but I squeeze off two more shots that also hit in the chest and he falls back down the stairs. Three pairs of eyes watch him fall then quickly find cover. _Now I've done it._

I run forward and press myself against the wall beside the door. I hear a couple of shots ring out but they miss by a mile. "Give it up Ms. Fujino," one of the men shouts over the din, "this is the only way out and we've got it covered."

"Like hell I'm giving up. Walk away and I'll let you live."

Laughter could be heard from downstairs. "You're no gunfighter and there are three of us. Luck won't save you this time."

Three gunshots ring out and I close my eyes, expecting the worst. Then a familiar voice, like an angel come from heaven to save me, reaches my ears. "No, but I will." It's Natsuki and I fall to my knees in thanks to whatever god took the time to save me. "Shizuru? Are you alright?"

"I'm upstairs."

I can hear her footsteps on the stairs. "I'm coming up, okay. Don't shoot." A moment later I see her walk through the door and I can't help but to throw myself at her. I throw my arms around her shoulders and bury my head in her chest. She wraps her arms around me and I feel safe and secure in them, like nothing can get to me here. "Are you hurt?"

I shake my head. "No, they didn't get up here."

"You got the guy on the stairs?"I nod my head, I can still picture it clearly. "Good job. That can't have been easy."

"No, it was horrible...I..."

"You did what you had to do." Natsuki's voice is reassuring and I melt even more into her embrace. "He would have killed you so you got him first. Don't feel bad for scum like that." Natsuki kept one arm around me and used to other to fish out her phone and dial a number. "Midori, there's been a shooting. Can you send someone out here?"

I don't hear the response but Natsuki hangs up the phone and walks me over to the bed. "Who did you call?"

"A detective friend of mine, Sugiura Midori. She's sending a few squad cars up here. They shouldn't be too long."

"Oh, okay." I'm angry at how shaken I am. I've been expecting this ever since I started this plan but I never thought it would be this bad. If it hadn't been for Natsuki... Tears start welling up in my eyes and I swear. "Fuck..."

Her arms tighten around me and I bury my face in her chest again. "Hey, it's okay."

"I..." I exhale a deep breath, "I should have been ready for this. I thought I was ready for this."

"Ready for what? Why?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not? Don't you trust me?"

I can hear the hurt in her voice and I want to reassure her. It's not that I don't trust her but it's better if she doesn't know, doesn't see the real me. "I...just can't, okay. Don't you trust me?"

I look into her eyes and I can see her hesitation. I feel terrible about turning her own question against her but it's the only way to avoid the question. She just can't know the answer because I know she'll hate me if she finds out. "I do trust you, so I won't ask anymore, but if you ever need help please talk to me. I want to help you in any way I can. Especially if if means we get to be together."

Her words bring a smile to my face and I wipe away the tears. "I want that too, sweetie." It's funny how she can make me feel better with such a simple phrase of gesture. I sink deeper in her arms and we wait together for the police who show up promptly.

Kuga Natsuki:

"So, what exactly happened here Ms. Fujino?"

Midori is grilling Shizuru about the incident and she's very forthcoming with the information. In the meantime, I'm leaning over one of the deceased looking for markings that would identify him as a gang member or any kind of insignia. I don't find any and that sets off red flags in my head. These guys weren't just here accidentally, this was a hit.

"So you have no idea why these men were here?"

Shizuru answers very carefully, I can tell that she's hiding something but Midori seems convinced. Maybe I'm imagining things or maybe I've spent more time with her and can read her better. Either way her answers are fairly convincing and I continue my search through pockets. No identification of any kind, nothing that would point to a backer or a client. While I'm searching I happen upon a cell phone on one of the bodies. I_t'll be easy enough to identify him through this_. I pocket the phone, Midori will harangue me about hiding evidence but I'm willing to bear it. I have a personal interest in this, after all.

"What is your relationship to Ms. Kuga?"

My ears perk up at the question and I look up, wondering just how Shizuru will answer. "We are..." She pauses, something she has yet to do while speaking to Midori. "Close friends."

"I see." I can hear in Midori's voice that she has deduced the truth. What strikes me as odd is that Shizuru hesitated on this question when she answered each other question carefully but promptly. It's as if she wanted Midori to deduce the answer so she didn't have to outright say it but what would be the point in that. The only thing I can think is that it would make her other answers sound more truthful if Midori thought she was easy to read. Interesting.

"I know enough for now." Midori stood up from the chair she had been sitting in and I headed to Shizuru's side. "Until we figure this out I suggest you find a place to lay low, Ms. Fujino. Somewhere you won't be found so easily."

I couldn't fight the smile that crossed my face. "Why don't you stay with me? No one knows about our...relationship, and no one would think to look for you there."

"That sounds like a great idea." Midori confirmed and Shizuru merely nodded her head in assent. "In the meantime, we'll keep in contact if anything new develops in your case."

"Thank you, detective." Midori shook both Shizuru's hand and mine before turning her back to us and heading towards the first floor. I took Shizuru's hand and she squeezed it. "Shall we go, then?"

"If you're ready."

She nods that she is and I lead her out to my car. The ride back to my place is long and quiet but it's a comfortable silence. When we get there she follows me up to my apartment and waits patiently while I unlock the door. When she sits down on my bed her eyes are far away. I take off my shoes, unbutton my shirt and sit down next to her. "Are you really okay, baby?"

She nods, her eyes turn to steel. I wonder what it means when she cuts off my thoughts with a kiss. "Thanks for saving me."

I smirk. "Anytime, darling."

She lays back on the bed and I start to take her shoes off. I toss them on the floor then lay down beside her. Her arms snake around me, my shirt falls to the bed revealing the elegant bra I had worn for her. She notices. "That's cute. Did you wear that for me?"

"Yeah."

Her face turns somber. "I'm sorry, I guess our evening was ruined."

"Nah." I kiss her on the forehead. "I'd say everything worked out fine." She hugs me close and rests her head on my shoulder. I yawn and my eyelids get heavy. "Good night, baby."

She kisses me on the cheek. "Good night."

3:00 AM

Fujino Shizuru:

I can't sleep. I can't stop thinking about what happened and how I should have seen it coming. Of course he wasn't going to take my meddling lying down but I never expected him to do this. This game is getting dangerous and I need to be just as dangerous if I want to win. I look over at the sleeping angel next to me. No, I have to win.

I slide out of bed and head into the living room of the small apartment. I have to steel myself because this game is about to get rough. _No more messing around, Shizuru. It's time to get rough._


End file.
